CHINA

Intel, the world’s biggest chipmaker, plans to scale up production of its new Ultrabook chips, with as many as 75 consumer products available by the second quarter and more to come, said Mooly Eden, VP and general manager for the consumer client group.

Oil, gold and base metals are Goldman Sachs' top commodity picks this year, with big upside risk in oil due to tight fundamentals and a potential Iranian conflict, the investment bank said on Monday.

Gold recovered from lows on Monday, lifted by gains in the euro versus the dollar after French and German leaders said there had been progress on the region's fiscal integration, but its rise was capped by caution after the metal's hefty losses last month.

One of the most exciting technological innovations at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2012 is by Lenovo - the Chinese PC maker surprised everyone at CES Unveiled on Jan. 8, by taking the wraps off of its 55-inch Smart HDTV K91, which runs on Ice Cream Sandwich OS, as well as the S2 10-inch tablet and the S2 smartphone.

Stock index futures edged higher on Monday as investors focused on a European meeting intended to find ways to boost the region's economies and tackle a debt crisis and prepared for the start of U.S. corporate earnings.

German exports bounced back in November boosting the country's trade surplus, a sign that Europe's largest economy may avoid a sharp slowdown in contrast to France which is expected to have run up a record trade deficit in 2011.

A weakening dollar combined with bargain hunting, short covering and Chinese physical demand to lift gold prices Monday for the fifth time in the last six trading sessions.

American automotive manufacturer General Motors (GM) has thrown down the gauntlet to reigning luxury brands in the market like German companies BMW and Mercedes Benz, by unveiling its compact Cadillac ATS sports sedan.

Lenovo has announced plans to release an Android 4-powered smart TV, called the K91, which will come out first in China and then around the world.

The global electronics market will exceed $1 trillion for the first time, with continued gains for smartphones, tablets and Internet and LED TVs, the Consumer Electronics Association said in its 2012 forecast.

Counting container ships plying the high seas and air cargo takeoffs is one way to track the outlook for the global economy. Both measures point to weak growth in the months ahead but no severe storms.

Canada's famously conservative banks, hit last week by a high profile downgrade, may still be the least bad option for Canadian investors in what could be another ugly year for stock markets.

China's banks ratcheted up lending in the last month of 2011 on the back of stronger money supply, reinforcing perceptions that the central bank is gently easing policy to cushion the impact of the global economic slowdown.

Republican presidential candidates stepped up their attacks on rival Mitt Romney in a televised debate on Sunday morning -- a mere two days before primary-election voters in New Hampshire head to the polls -- and the front-runner mostly weathered the attacks.

The head of Europe's bailout fund was reported on Sunday as saying he wants to boost state guarantees on the fund's bonds, although a fund official said no changes had been made to an original plan.

South Korean President Lee Myung Bak will ask China's leaders this week to use their influence to lean on North Korea to show restraint amid a delicate transition to a new leadership.

The very idea that a 30-story building could be built in 15 days -- or 360 hours -- is mind-boggling. But that's what happened in China, as a 30-story hotel went up in just 15 days.

Bashir is regarded as a war criminal in the West and is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges he committed genocide in connection with the mass murder of people in the Darfur.

The knives will come out at back-to-back debates this weekend as Republican presidential hopefuls frantically jockey for position days before New Hampshire's key primary.

U.S. President Barack Obama kicked off an effort to encourage businesses to keep jobs at home instead of outsourcing them overseas, as he rolled out a new election-year theme on Saturday aimed at courting middle-class voters.

The Asian political canvas looks challenging in 2012, with government changes in key countries likely to surprise investors and businesses. The highlights are a once-in-a-decade leadership change in China, chances of an early general election in India, worsening uncertainty in Pakistani politics and general elections in South Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia.